By Shannin Prather
October 2021 | 2021 Fall Newsletter
Amid intensifying drought and record-breaking temperatures across the Western United States, California has called on its residents to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent with simple measures to protect water reserves and to help maintain critical flows for fish and wildlife wherever possible.
Santa Clara County is currently listed among several other counties on California’s emergency drought declaration. To lessen water usage, residents can take simple actions such as reducing landscape watering, running dishwashers and washing machines only when full, finding and fixing leaks, installing water-efficient showerheads, and taking shorter showers. Conserving water minimizes the effects of drought and water shortages, and also reduces your water bill.
The Valley Water website offers drought and water saving information and resources, including rebates for home improvements and access to free indoor conservation tools like efficient showerheads and faucet aerators. For more information and resources, check out the “Drought/Saving Water” tab menu at valleywater.org.
The Lawn Busters Program can help qualifying households reduce water use by replacing lawns with attractive, drought-resistant landscape design.
Lawn Busters is a partnership between Our City Forest and Valley Water which provides subsidized on-site assessments and landscape design, planting, and quality-assurance follow up. This program is available to qualifying Santa Clara County homeowners who are 60 years of age or older, low-income, have a disability, or are a United States veteran.
For additional information, or to apply, visit ourcityforest.org/lawnbusters/.